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Dad who weighed 322 pounds sheds half his weight after theme-park incident: ‘That did it for me’

Blake Lewis and daughter Sophie when he weighed 322 pounds. (SWNS) “My daughter Sophie didn’t understand why we couldn’t go on the ride because we had sat down alright. I knew I was big but when I couldn’t get the belt over my stomach I thought: ‘This doesn’t happen to people every day. Something is not right,’” he recalled. “We were told to get off and Sophie was upset because she had to wait while her brother went on the ride with her mum. There were a few tears,” he…

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‘Your partner is in hell’, Richard Coles told

The couple, both Church of England priests, lived together with their dogs in the vicarage. They met in 2007 and Coles has spoken openly about their celibacy. Skip Twitter post by @RevRichardColes I’m very sorry to say that @RevDavidColes has died. He had been ill for a while. Thanks to the brilliant teams who looked after him at @KettGeneral. Funeral details to follow. “The Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended”. pic.twitter.com/usvLDIBDv7 — Richard Coles (@RevRichardColes) December 17, 2019 On Twitter, he…

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‘Those numbers are almost unfathomable’: Farmers skeptical of Trump’s $50 billion China promise

Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump says the Chinese will buy $50 billion worth of farm products as part of a phase one deal struck last week, but that would mean China would have to double the amount it bought from US farmers before the trade war started. The numbers have been repeated by other top administration officials. “You could think of it as $80 to $100 billion in new sales for agriculture over the course of the next two years — just massive numbers,” said US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in…

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‘Mortgage prisoners’ sue over ‘unfair’ rates

‘Double the cost’ Many of those affected – usually having taken out mortgages in the late 2000s with Northern Rock or Bradford & Bingley – have been paying more than 5% interest on their mortgages for the past 12 years. In some cases, this amounts to more than double the cost of the best rates available on the market. Image caption Mr Herron said the mortgage repayments for the home had put strain on his marriage Mr Herron wanted to switch mortgage lender for a cheaper loan. But because it…

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Could Scotland leave the UK… and stay in the EU?

And the party has since performed strongly in elections. It won 48 of the 59 seats north of the border in last week’s general election, while campaigning to “put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands”. Scottish National Party SNP , +13 seats compared to 2017 6 seats Liberal Democrat LD , +0 seats compared to 2017 1 seats Image copyright PA Media Image caption Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon do not see eye to eye on Brexit or independence Ms Sturgeon, the SNP leader, says this would ensure the referendum result…

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Man jailed for boy’s ‘frenzied’ gang murder

Sentencing Majdouline, Judge Richard Marks said he could not “ignore the evidence” about Jaden’s drug dealing and other criminal-related history. “That he became so involved, starting at the age of 13, is truly shocking but none of that means he deserved to die, still less in the circumstances in which he did,” he said. Image copyright Met Police Image caption Ayoub Majdouline was caught on camera buying cigarettes in Leyton about 10 minutes after the murder Image copyright Met Police Image caption Bloodstained rubber gloves worn by Majdouline were found…

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Youngest MP had been looking for temp work

“I never thought a few months ago when I was applying for Christmas temp work, minimum wage work, that I wouldn’t need it because I’d be an MP by Christmas,” she said. Image caption Jo Swinson in 2004 Baby of the House Affectionate name given to the youngest MP in Parliament, a spin-off of Father of the House Previous holders of the title include Jo Swinson, David Lammy, Stephen Dorrell and Charles Kennedy Unlike Father of the House, the title of Baby of the House brings no extra duties or…

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How John Roberts might oversee a Senate impeachment trial

Washington (CNN)As the Democratic-led US House moves toward an impeachment vote on President Donald Trump, attention is turning to the likely Senate trial and how forcefully Chief Justice John Roberts might operate as he presides over the chamber. Senators are quarreling over whether to call witnesses and which ones. Schumer has told Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that he wants at least four witnesses to testify, including Bolton and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. Republican senators have suggested, alternatively, that they may want to call Hunter Biden, son…

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How the Salvation Army is trying to change its ‘anti-LGBTQ’ reputation

(CNN)Salvation Army bell ringers, the folks you see jingling bells by red kettles at Christmastime, will be carrying a new prop this year: A card explaining the Christian church and charity’s approach to LGBTQ people. But to some in the LGBTQ community, the Salvation Army has another reputation. For decades, they’ve accused Salvationsts of denying some services to same-sex couples, advocating against gay rights and adhering to a traditional theology that considers gay sex sinful. At times, LGBTQ activists have dropped fake dollar bills or vouchers protesting the Salvation Army…

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Analysis: Trump has weathered impeachment better than Clinton

(CNN)First things first: The theme song of the week is the closing credits from Growing Pains. In these, Trump usually comes out looking poorly compared to Bill Clinton, the last president to be impeached. Clinton’s job approval rating stayed higher and the percentage who wanted him impeached and removed from office stayed lower. I’ll make the argument, though, that these figures aren’t telling the whole story. A look at the net favorability rating changes for Clinton and Trump during their impeachment sagas indicates that Clinton was hurt by impeachment in…

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